Unsurprisingly, Google’s algorithm is in constant flux. The reasoning is simple – improve accessibility to high quality sites, related to the search terms. In other words, ensure the user is delivered to the site which provides the best information on the subject.
6 factors dominate Google’s algorithm. And although these vary in importance, pinpointing the ‘most’ important factors are open to conjecture; meaning they are delivered in no particular order. The first post will discuss the factors, Click Data and Social Presence. Then every week thereafter, we will uncover the remaining factors.
1. Click Data
Essentially, this considers real time user data. In other words, those sites which are the most relevant will usually provide the most “clicks” (and natural links) and therefore obtain a higher search engine ranking.
For example, suppose there are four relatively similar sites, positioned one-four in a search engine. Now, usually, you would expect the highest position to receive the most traffic, meaning sites further down the results would normally incur reduced traffic. However, occasionally – mainly as a result of relevancy, a site within position 4 may gain more traffic compared to its higher, yet less relevant site. Google have therefore considered this, and now review traffic volumes of a site; to consequently, favourably alter their position towards the more “clicked” on site.
2. Social Presence
The significance of social media is becoming a more prominent feature within the success of SEO/Marketing mix. Therefore, by applying these marketing ‘tools’, it can hopefully increase the success of our work within the development of SEO.
This intent is supported by Google’s 2010 affirmation that they will indeed use social indicators and real time social search results as a factor, by which, links found in Twitter and other social media will become relevant to the perpetual nature of Google’s algorithm. Remember, if Twitter is being mentioned, the likelihood of other social media platforms including, Facebook should also be identified and ultimately, implemented.
